Green Gas Initiative – 50 per cent more biogas in the gas grid in just three years

During 2016, 11 TWh of biogas were fed into the gas transmission networks owned by the seven members of the European network Green Gas Initiative. This represents a 50 per cent increase over the past three years.

This is just one of the outcomes presented in the recently published first report from the Green Gas Initiative (GGI) dealing with biogas (biomethane) trends.

“Biogas is not only environmentally and climate friendly, it is also competitive and resource efficient. There is an abundance of evidence to demonstrate the potential of biogas and the role it could play in the transition to a sustainable energy system. It is very encouraging to see that our collaboration in Europe is producing results and that a growing proportion of biogas is being distributed in the transmission networks. At present, around 10 per cent of the gas we transmit in the Swedish gas grid is biogas,” said Johan Zettergren, Swedegas chief executive.

GGI is urging European policy-makers to review the European Renewable Energy Directive to support the rapid growth of a European market for biogas. The review ought to endorse two primary goals:

Facilitate cross-border trading in renewable gases by establishing a European certification system.

GGI is made up of seven independent gas transmission operators that have committed to achieving a 100 per cent carbon-neutral gas supply in their transport infrastructures by 2050. Apart from Swedegas, the GGI members are Energinet.dk (Denmark), Fluxys (Belgium), Gaznat (Switzerland), Gasunie (Netherlands), GRTgaz (France) and ONTRAS Gastransport (Germany).